Time switch



Aug. 1931- J. FERGLIJSON 1,820,306

TIME swn'cn Filed July 1. 71930 f VENToR, MM

I PatentedlA ug 25 1931]? JAMES rnmuson, or SAN FRANCISCO, cALIFoRNni N it I fl-rriME SWITCH. I I I r I Application e'aiui 1,1536. isiiai, m5. 465,146, e I This invention relatesto improvements in underneath side of the support is an inclined- I 1 time switches of the kind adapted foruse thermostatic rod .4; comprised" of strip s of I automatically closingand opening circuits to 1 suitable material suchas copper and German W? a radio receiving set or other apparatus to be s1lver. The free end-of the thermostatic'irod l5 operated.- I i I moves' upwardly or toward the support-when 55' An object of my inventionis to provide'an; heat is applied thereto, by 'reason of the cop- I improved coinor token controlled switch per strip.expandingfasterthanjthe German for automatically closing andopening cir silver strip, and when heatfis taken away III cuits. from the saidrod the said'freeend thereof '10 Another object of invention m prothen moves in the eopposite direction because; 80

ates upon the'insertionof a coin or token per strip. H I V I therein asto close a circuit toa'deviceto be An insulated w re 5, hav lngone end'con-lj vide an' improved time switch which so open of' faster cooling and contractionor' the copelectrically operated, and thereafter .inainnected by means of a' conn'ecting strip'fi to a .15 tains-the circuit in a closed position for a metal pin 7 and its other endconnected toa: definite period of time. I wire 8 leading to a device to be'operated, 'A further'object of my invention is'to proextends around the thermostatic rod 4 for vide 'an improved time switch which is a'numbe'ro'f times and's'erves as means for I adapted tov receive coins of, different deapplying, heat to thesaid rodwhen a 'curr'ent'. 1 j

' x nominations, and tom aintain circuits in of electricityispassed throughlthe said wire; 7

closed positions for definite periods of time, Thea'connecting strip 6, andthe 'pin 7 are; dependent upon the particular'kind or. size .InOunted On an in la ing, pan l 9' Suitably ofcoin inserted therein. I T secured to th ne h i e f h p. A still further object of my invention is port 1. 71 Y I 1 150 provide animproved time switchfor clos- Rotatably-mounte on a bracke 1 Secured 'ing and openinga circuit to a device to be to the underneath'side of the support 1, is 'a f electrically operated, having coin slots of .wheel 11 having ,aplurality of'teeth project-f different sizes, and also means'actuated'bya i119: fr m i ir um t a g -g The coin inserted in one of'the slots for mainwheel is provided at'a' point above its center I .30 taining the circuit in a closed position fora with a projecting p f which adap 8o definite period of time, dependent upon the to contact with a downwardly P p 0-' particular size of the coin inserted therein. jection 13 extendingfrom the support 1'.

Other objects more o'r less apparent will spiral wire'springl l, having one end secured f present themselves-onwill -be, specifically to'a projectionl'ocat'ed-oni-the wheel above pointed out in the following description. its center and its other end secured to the sup- In the accompanying drawings I port 1, serves tocarry the wheel back. to its Figure 1 is'a side elevationof a time switch. normal'position with the pin 12 contacting I constructed in accordance withmy invention; with the projection 13. After the wheel 11' l i and I 1 has been rotated for a certain part of one Figure 2 shows the switchas viewed from revolution in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2') its opposite side. I by a mechanism to be'hereinafter described, Referring to the drawingspthe, numeral the spiral springfll l moves the saidwheel' in 1 represents a supporting member having a counter clockwise direction until the pin I coin or token chutes 2 and 3 mounted thereon 12 thereon encounters the projection 13.

in spaced relationship to one another, with Pivotally mounted on a bracket 15 secured 5 the formerloc'ated directly behind thelatter; to the underneath side of the support 1 is a and each having a slot therein of a size suitrod 16. having a counterbalancing weight able to accommodate coins of aparticular de= member 17 v at one end and a cross piece 18 at K nomination. f I I its opposite end. Theends of thecross piece Suitably secured at one end thereof to the extend into arcuate slots 19 located in the chutes 2 and 3 and are positioned to intercept coins dropped into the said chutes through suitable openings located in the support 1. The rod 16 is normally maintained in a substantially horizontal position by the counter balancing weight member 17. The rod 16 is provided at a oint adjacent its pivotal connectionto the racket 15, with a downwardly disposed insulated member which, upon the downward movement of the said rod, contacts with 'a'resilient contact member 21 and moves it into engagement withanother similar contact member 22 that connects with the wires 5 and 8. The weight of coins dropped into the slots of either of the chutes 2 and 3 moves the end of the rod 16 on which the cross piece 18 i'slocated in a downward direction, therebycausing the insulated member- 20 to. move the contact member 21 into engagement with the contact member 22, the latter being connected by a wire 23 to a soarceof electrical energy. Pivotal'ly mounted on the coin' chute 3 is a rod 2% having a counter" balancing weight 25 at one end and a curved part 26, at its other end, the said curved part underlying the rod 16. The counter balancing weight is provided with a guard 27 which is adapted to extend into the upper endsof the coin chutes 2 and 3 to pre vent a .coinfrompassing through either oi the said chutes while the rod 16 is maintained with its Icross piece end in a downwardly disposed'position. When therod 16 is moved aboutitspivot by acoin inserted in a coin chute, the rod 24 is also moved about its pivot through; thecurved part 26 being depressed byvthe rod 16. i Upon theimovement of the rodv 16-. in a direction whereby its cross piece 18 moves upwardly, the rod 24 is also moved by. itscounter-balancing weight 25' so the guard; 27- no-longer prevents'coins from passing through the coin chutes 2 and 3. The oontactmembers 21 and 22- are supported by a, bar 28 secured tojthe support 1, and an in suleting member 29 serves to insulate the said contactmembers from the said bar and from eaoh other. I

Pivotall-y mounted on a pin 29 carried by the free, end of the thermostatic rod 4 is a catohimember. 291, the lower end oitwhich is normally positioned adjacent the circumferential edge of the wheel 11. The upper end of the catch member is provided with a counterbalancing weight 30 which is adapted to move the lower endof the said catch memberfinto engagement with the teeth on the wheel, 11. T Pivotally mounted at its top end on a pin31 secured'to the insulating panel 9 is lever member 31 having an arm 32, which normally-rests against the upper edge of the rod 16. Also mounted on the pin 31 is a counter balanced catch member 33 having-its lower end normally held in contact with the teeth of the, wheel 11 byits weighted upper end; 3 Thelever member is provided with a initting the lower ends ot the catch members 29 and 33 to be carried by their weighted top ends into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 11.

Pivotally mounted at ends thereof on the metal pin 7, which is secured to the insulating panel9, and connected to the wire 5 of-the, thermostatic rod 4: by strip 6, are two bars 35 and 35. The outwardly disposed ends of the bars are attached to the ends of a coiled spring 36 which is at all times under tension. The-bar 35 is pivotally attached to an insulating block 37 which extends'throngh an arcuate slot 38 in the insulating panel 9 and is attached to the pin 29" carried by the free end of the thermostatic rod 4. Upon the thermostatic red 4 moving upwardly anddownwardly the bar 35 to which it is connected likewise moved upwardly and downwardly. The other bar its end with a contact point 39 which is. adapted to contact with a contact plate-40 mounted on the insulating'panel 9. The contact plate 40 is connected to a wire 41 leading tothe device to be operated and alsoto a wire 42 leading to the source of electrical power. The contacting ot the contact point 39 of the bar 35 with the contact plate 4.0 completes the circuit through the wire 5 encircling the thermostaticrod. 41-. Theupward movement of the th crmostatic rod when the same is being heated carries the bar 35'upwardl y, and when the spring 36 has been carried past the 3.) is provided atpin 7 the bar 35.is moved about. itsv pivot in.

thermostatic rod l to becomecooled and move in a L downward direction. is the said thermostatic rod moves downwardly, the bar 35 vis carried in the same direction, and the spring 36 when below the pin 7 moves-the bar 35. downwardly tocause the contact point 39 to engage with :the contact plate 4'10 and again close the circuit to the wire 5. l)uring the upward and downward movement of the thermostatic rod 4, the catch member 29 is carried with it." The catch member upon moving downwardly engages with the teeth of the wheel. 11 and moves the same in a clockwise direction (Fig, 2). The other catch member 33 is at all times during the operation of the devicein cont-act with'theteethof thewheel 11, and'when the rod 4-.movfes the catch member 29 upwardly, the catch member 33 engages with theteeth of the wheel holds, and prevents the latter from being moved by the tension'of the spring 14 in the opposite-direction. The succeeding downward movement of the thermostatic rod 4 again causes the catch'member 29 to engage with the teeth of the wheel and again cross. piece then moves downwardly to allow.

the l'arge'cointo drop through'the slot 50 I rotatetheilatterin a clockwise direction. v Pivotally mounted on the upper end of the coin chute'3 is a downwardly disposed bar 43, having two separatednotches 44 and 45 located at its lower end. Theupper part of the bar isprovided with an arm 46 which is positioned adjacentfla side offthewheel 11, and a spiral wire spring 47 secured to the support 1 and the bar 43 tends to normally maintain the lower end of thebar in a position Wherebythe notches 44cand 45 are-in aposition tointercept: the cross piece 18 when the same haslbeenmoved downward-1y by a coindropped into either of the coin chutes 2 or 3. Projecting from the side of the wheel 11 beneath the arm 46 of the bar 43'are ,two separated :pins 48 and 49, each of -which is adapted to intercept the said.arm whenthe wheel 11 is rotated-in aclockwise direction 7 side edge asat 50; to provide slotsthrough which coins may pass. A coin ofp'articular size'dropped into either of the chutes 2' or 3 will carry the vcross piece 18 downwardly until it engages with the upper notch 44 of the bar '43, and the coin will temporarily rest at its top edge against the upper edge of the. slot 50 in theparticular chute it was inserted. Should the coin be of small size, say a dime, itwill pass through the slot5O as soon as' the wheelhas been rotated sufficiently to bring the pin 48 thereon into engagementwith the beveledend of the arm- 46 of the *bar 43. c As soon as the pin has'eir gaged with the said arm it will cause the bar43 to move on'its pivot, thereby freeing the notch 44 from thecross pieceIS. The

weight of the coin then carries the cross longer partly supported'by the upper edge of theslot 50. As soon as this happens the coin drops from its chute and the cross piece 18 is again elevated to: a position whereby it is adapted to intercept another coin. Should the coin happen to-be of a larger si ze,-s'ay a quarter, it will not drop from its coin chute until after the second pin 49 has moved the bar '43 so the notch 45 is freed fromfthe cross piece 18. The intercepting of pin 48 with the arm 46 of the bar 43 frees the notch-44 from the cross piece, but the lo-wer'notch 45 then intercepts the said cross piece as it is lowered still farther by the large coin. 'The large coin then rests at its-top edge a-gainstthe top edge of the slot 50 in its chute, and is thereby rod to normal position.

prevented. frOm drOpping from said chute until the wheel 11 has been rotated sufficiently to bring the pin 49 into contact with :thearm 46 of the bar43. "Theipin 49 being located I closer to the circumferential edge. ofthe said wheelkthan the pin 48 moves the arm 46 still furtherto' the left'('Fig. 2) whenit intercepts the same, thereby moving thebar 43so the notch 45 is freed from the cross piece 18. The

in its chute. v

"As soon as a coinhas passed through a slot 503 in'a chute, the counter balancing weight member. 17 carries the cross piece and" therod 16 back'totheir normalpositionsl Thenpward'm ovement of the rod 16 moves I teeth of-the wheel 11(As soon as the catch members are freed from the teeth of the 29 and 33 so they no longer engage-with the i wheel, the spiral .spring1'4 moves the'said wheel in a counter clockwise direction to its normal position withthe pin. 12 thereon in contact with the projecting member13.

'- It will be noticed that itgwill'take' a certain length of'time torotat e'thewheel sufiiciently to bringithe pin "48in contact with the. arm 46,and a still longer length of time vto bring the. pin 49in c'ontact with the said arm. Duringthe' time between the dropping of a coin in a chute and until it passes therefrom, the

circuit to a device to be operated is closed,

a'ndas soon as the member 20 is carried away from theco nt'act member 21 the'said circuit is broken.

, By arrangingthe pins 48 and 49 in difi'erent positions on the wheel 11-, the time "the circuit is maintained in a closed position may be varied accordingly. 1 g 7 It is apparent to'those skilled in the art that my improved time switch may be embodied in'other forms equally as'efiicientns Y the one shown, 'so for, this and other apparent reasonsldesire my invention includedbroadly'within the spirit of the appendedclaims. 1 Having described claimisz M I H Y 1. A time switchcomprising a coin or token chute,-a pivoted'rod having means extending into the chute for intercepting a coin or token dropped therein, movable means for tempor'arily supporting the rod in a-certain posi'-" tion, thermostat, an electrical circuit con= nected to the thermostat, means actuated by the rod for closing and opening the-circuit, rotatable means operated by thethermostat for actuating the means for temporarily sup-1 porting the rod and means for returning the 2. Atime switch comprising acoin or token my inventionwhat I" chute, apivotedl rod having'means adapted to intercept a coin or token dropped into the chute supporting means for temporarily holding the rod in a certain position, a thermostat connected to a circuit leading to. a source of electrical power, means actuated by the movement of the rod, for closing and opening the circuit, rotatable means actuated by the thermostat for releasing the supporting means from engagement with the rod and means for returning the rod to normal position.

3. A time switch comprising a coin or token.

chute, means extending into the chute and. adapted to temporarily support and be actuatedin a certain direction by a coin dropped into the chufe, a thermostat connected to acircuit leading to a source of electrical power, a switch located in the circuit and adapted to be closed by the downward movement of the first mentioned'means, and.

position, a weight member for moving the rod to its normal position, and means actuated by the thermostat for releasing the supporting means from the rod, whereby the weight member may move the rod to its normal position to open the switch.

5. A time switch comprising a coin or token chute, a thermostat connected to a circuit leading to a source of electrical power, a rod adapted to be actuated. by a coin or token dropped into the chute for closing the switch, supporting means adapted to engage with the rod to maintain the same in a position whereby theswitch is held in a closed position, a wheel positioned adjacent the thermostat,

I meansactuated by the thermostat for rotating the wheel, means actuated by the wheel for disengaging the supporting means from the rod, and a means for moving therod to a position whereby the switch is opened. 7

6. A timeswitch comprising a thermostat connected to a circuit leading to a source of electrical power, means for closing the circuit, a wheel rotatably mounted near the thermostat, means connected to the thermostat for rotating the wheel, means actuated by the wheel for permitting the circuit to be opened and means for opening the circuit.

7. :A time switch comprising a thermostat connectedto a circuit leading to a source of electrical power, a switch located in the cireeasoe wheel for permitting the circuit to beopened and means for opening the circuit.

8. A time swltch comprising a thermostat,

a circuit leading to a source of. electricalv power and connected to the thermostat,xa switch located in the circuit, a coinactuated lever for closing the switch, supporting means for holding the lever in a position to hold the switch closed, a wheel located ad? jacent the thermostat, means actuated, by the thermostat for rotating the wheel, and means actuated by. the wheel for releasing the supporting means from engagement with. the lever, and means for moving the lever to a position whereby the switch may be opened.

9. A time switch comprising a thermostat connected to a circuit leading to a source of electrical power, a switch located in the cir-' wit a coin actuated lever for closing the switch, engaging means for temporarily maintaining the lever in a position whereby the switch is closed, a wheel rotatably mounted adjacent the thermostat, means actuated by the thermostat for rotating the wheel, and means actuated bv the wheel for releasing the engaging means from the lever, and a weight member for moving the lever to a position whereby the switch may be opened. 10. In a time switch, a thermostat, a circuit connected to the thermostat having a switch therein, a coin chute, a pivoted rod extending into the chute and provided with means for closing and opening the switch, which said rod is actuated to close the switch by a coin dropped into the chute, means for sup porting the rod in a position whereby the switch is closed, rotatable mechanism actuated by the thermostat for moving the means to position where it no longer supports the rod, and means for actuating the rod so the switch is opened.

11. In a time switch, a thermostat, a circuit connected to the thermostat having a switch therein, a coin chute, a pivoted rod extending into the chute carrying means for closing the switch, which said rod is moved about its pivot in a certain direction by a coin dropped into the chute to close the switch, scans for temporarily supporting the rod in a position whereby the switch is closed,

rotatable mechanism actuated by the ther- V mostat for moving the means to a position wiere it no longer supports the rod, and means for moving the rod so the switch is opened.

12. In a time switchya thermostat, a circuit connected to the thermostat having a switch therein, a plurality of coin chutes, a pivoted rod extending into the chutes carrying means for closing the switch, the said rod being actuated by a coin dropped into either 7 means engageable with therod for support-- moving the 'rod of the chutes to close theswitch, movable ing the rod in different positions, means actuated by the thermostat for releasing the movable means from the rod,:and means for z 7 whereby the switch may be opened.

13. In a time switch, a thermostat con- 7 nected to a circuit leading to a source of electrical power, a plurality of coin chutes, a pivoted rod extending into the chutesand adapted to be moved about its pivot in a downward direction by a coin [dropped into" either of the chutes,'means'carried by the rod for closing the switch when the rod ismoved downwardly, supporting. means engagablewith therod for supportingthe rod in a number of positions, and means actuated by the thermostat for'relea'sing thesupporting means from engagement with the rod, v and a weight member carried by the rod for 7 moving the sameinan upward direction,

whereby the switch may be opened- In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. 7 1

7 JAMES 'FERGUsoN; 

